Method for providing an operating device in a vehicle and operating device

ABSTRACT

A method for providing an operating device in a vehicle, wherein a control device generates graphics data which control a display surface so that a graphics object relating to an executed application is displayed, and the geometric structure of an actuating object is detected in a detection space in front of the display surface and, depending upon the detected structure, a control signal for controlling the executed application is generated. A control signal for stopping the executed application is generated by the control system if a geometric structure of the actuating object has been detected in the detection space, wherein a substantially planar surface of the actuating object which is oriented substantially parallel to the display surface is spaced apart from the display surface. Also disclosed is a corresponding operating device for carrying out the method and a vehicle having such an operating device.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This patent application is a U.S. National Phase of International PatentApplication No. PCT/EP2012/004231, filed 9 Oct. 2012, which claimspriority to German Patent Application No. 10 2011 116 122.1, filed 15Oct. 2011, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by referencein their entirety.

SUMMARY

Illustrative embodiments relate to a method for providing an operatorcontrol apparatus in a vehicle. The method involves a control apparatusproducing graphics data that actuate a display panel such that agraphical object is displayed for an executed application. In addition,the geometric structure of an operating object is sensed in a detectionspace in front of the display panel, and the sensed structure is takenas a basis for producing a control signal for controlling the executedapplication. Illustrative embodiments also relate to an operator controlapparatus for a vehicle. The operator control apparatus comprises adisplay apparatus having a display panel and comprises a controlapparatus that is coupled to the display apparatus and by means of whichit is possible to produce graphics data for displaying a graphicalobject for an executed application. In addition, the operator controlapparatus comprises a gesture sensing device for sensing the geometricstructure of an operating object in a detection space in front of thedisplay panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Disclosed embodiments are now explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a vehicle with the disclosed embodiment of the operatorcontrol apparatus;

FIG. 2 schematically shows a disclosed embodiment of the operatorcontrol apparatus and the connection of this operator control apparatusto other devices in the vehicle;

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the display apparatus of the disclosedembodiment of the operator control apparatus; and

FIG. 4 shows a stop gesture executed by a user in front of the displaypanel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

Disclosed embodiments provide a method and an operator control apparatusthat allow the executed application to be controlled quickly andintuitively.

In the method, the control apparatus is used to produce a control signalfor stopping the executed application when a geometric structure thathas been sensed for the operating object in the detection space involvesan essentially planar face of the operating object, which face isoriented essentially parallel to the display panel, being arranged at adistance from the display panel.

The operating object that is used for the method may be the hand of auser, particularly the hand of the driver of the vehicle. The method,therefore, involves the control apparatus being used to stop theexecuted application particularly when it has been sensed that the palmof the hand points essentially parallel to the display panel. The methodallows the user, i.e., particularly the driver of the vehicle, to stop acurrently executed application intuitively and quickly by moving hishand into the detection space and orienting his palm parallel to thedisplay panel. In this way, the driver can execute what is known as astop gesture. This advantageously does not require the driver to turnhis eyes away from the driving. In this way, the method contributes tosafe driving of the vehicle.

Within the context of the disclosed embodiments, an essentially parallelorientation with respect to the display panel is understood to mean thata certain tolerance range for the orientation of the face is included.Particularly when the operating object is the hand of a user, the palmof the opened hand is considered to be a planar face, since the openedhand forms an essentially planar face on the inside of the hand incomparison with the geometric structure of a fist, for example. Thisplanar face of the opened palm is particularly essentially parallel tothe display panel when the deviation from the exactly parallelorientation with respect to the display panel is less than +/−20°,particularly less than +/−10°. In this case, in particular, adistinction from an opened hand that is oriented essentially at rightangles to the display panel is sensed.

According to at least one disclosed embodiment of the method, theapplication relates to the reproduction of voice and/or music files,which involves the production of an audible output via a loudspeakerand/or headphones. When, in this case, a geometric structure that hasbeen sensed for the operating object in the detection space involves anessentially planar face of the operating object, which face is orientedessentially parallel to the display panel, being arranged at a distancefrom the display panel, one refinement involves a control signal forstopping the reproduction of the voice and/or music files beingproduced. Another disclosed embodiment involves a control signal formuting the audible output via the loudspeaker and/or the headphonesbeing produced. In the last case, the reproduction continues but thereis no audible output.

In particular driving situations, it is important for the driver of thevehicle to stop the reproduction or the audible output of a music orvoice file very quickly. The method according to the invention allowsthe driver to quickly stop the reproduction or the audible output veryintuitively by means of the fast stop gesture described above.

According to at least one disclosed embodiment of the method, thecontrol signal for stopping the executed application is produced when ageometric structure that involves an essentially planar face of theoperating object, which face is oriented essentially parallel to thedisplay panel, being arranged at a distance from the display panel hasbeen sensed for the operating object in the detection space for apreviously defined interval of time. This refinement prevents just ashort, random arrangement of the opened hand oriented parallel to thedisplay panel from being sufficient to stop the application. By way ofexample, the user needs to hold his opened hand in front of the displaypanel for a certain interval of time, e.g. at least 1 s or at least 3 s,to stop the application. This increases the certainty of operatorcontrol and avoids operator control errors.

The operator control apparatus can be used to produce a control signalfor stopping the executed application when a geometric structure thatthe gesture sensing device has sensed for the operating object in thedetection space involves an essentially planar face of the operatingobject, which face is oriented essentially parallel to the displaypanel, being arranged at a distance from the display panel.

In particular, the operator control apparatus can execute the methodsteps cited above in part or completely. The operator control apparatuscan be used for the operator control of various devices in the vehicle.The operator control apparatus has the same advantages cited above asthe method disclosed.

Furthermore, disclosed embodiments relate to a vehicle having theoperator control apparatus. In this case, the detection space isarranged such that it can easily be reached by the driver and/or thefront seat passenger.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, an exemplary embodiment of the operatorcontrol apparatus 6 and the arrangement thereof in a vehicle 11 isexplained.

The operator control apparatus 6 comprises a display apparatus 1 havinga display panel 2 that is arranged in the interior of the vehicle 11such that it is easily visible to at least one vehicle occupant,particularly the driver. The display panel 2 can be provided by adisplay, particularly a liquid crystal display, of any design.

The operator control apparatus 6 also comprises a control apparatus 3and an input apparatus. The control apparatus 3 is connected to thedisplay apparatus 1, which can be used to produce graphics data for thepresentation of information on the display panel 2. The input apparatuscomprises a touch-sensitive surface 4 that is produced on the displaypanel 2. Hence, what is known as a touch screen is provided.

Furthermore, the input apparatus comprises a gesture sensing device 7.The gesture sensing device 7 can be used to sense gestures from a userin a detection space 8. The detection space 8 is produced in front ofthe display panel 2, as shown in detail in FIG. 3. The user can executegestures in the detection space 8 with an operating object, in thepresent case with his hand 13. The gestures are sensed by the gesturesensing device 7, and analysis of the gestures is followed by controlsignals being transmitted from the gesture sensing device 7 to thecontrol apparatus 3.

Within the meaning of the present disclosure, a gesture is understood tomean a particular position or posture of the hand of a user or aparticular movement that is executed with the hand of the user. In thiscase, the geometric structure of the hand is sensed in the detectionspace. The gestures are executed in the detection space 8 in front ofthe display panel 2 without the need for the display panel to betouched.

By way of example, the gesture sensing device 7 may comprise infraredlight sources and infrared light detectors. Alternatively, it maycomprise an optical system with a camera that records the gestureexecuted in the detection space 8. Such a gesture sensing device 7 isknown per se. An example of such a gesture sensing device, as may beused in the case of the present disclosed embodiment, is described in WO2011/003947 A1.

In addition, the control apparatus 3 is coupled to a data bus 5. Thisdata bus 5 connects the control apparatus 3 to further devices 9, 10 inthe vehicle 11, for which further devices it is necessary to displayinformation on the display panel 2 and which further devices areintended to be operated by means of the operator control apparatus 6.The operator control apparatus 6 and the method can be used to displayinformation to the vehicle occupants. In addition, the vehicle occupantscan use the operator control apparatus 6 to operate devices 9, 10 in thevehicle 11 and to control the display.

Finally, the control apparatus 3 is coupled to a loudspeaker 15 that canbe used to produce an audible output.

The following text provides the detailed explanation of an exemplaryembodiment of the method that can be carried out by the operator controlapparatus 6 described hereinabove, with reference to FIG. 4.

It is subsequently assumed that the device 9 is a reproduction appliancefor music and/or voice files. By way of example, the device 9 is what isknown as an MP3 player. A particular music file is currently beingreproduced. The control apparatus 3 produces an associated audibleoutput via a loudspeaker 15. Furthermore, the control apparatus 3 isused to display on the display panel 2 a graphical object 12 that isassociated with the piece of music currently being played back. Thisgraphical object 12 is shown only schematically in FIG. 2. By way ofexample, it is possible to show extensive buttons for controlling thereproduction of the piece of music and information pertaining to thepiece of music, such as a CD cover.

To stop the reproduction of the piece of music, or alternatively to mutethe loudspeaker 15 by means of the control apparatus 3, the driver ofthe vehicle 11 moves his hand 13 into the detection space 8, forexample. The mere entry of the hand 13 into the detection space 8 can besensed by the gesture sensing device 11, whereupon the display on thedisplay panel 2 changes from a display state to what is known as anoperator control state, in which operable buttons are displayed in adifferent manner than in the display state.

The user then opens his hand 13, so that a palm 14 is produced that isessentially planar. The user orients this palm 14 such that it isessentially parallel to the display panel 2. If this geometric structureof the hand 13 of the user is sensed by the gesture sensing device 7 foran interval of time of 1 s, for example, that is stored in the controlapparatus 3, the control apparatus 3 interprets the sensed gesture aswhat is known as a stop gesture. The control apparatus 3 then stops thereproduction of the music file via the device 9 or alternatively mutesthe audible output via the loudspeaker 15.

The user then moves his hand 13 out of the detection space 8 again. Thedisplay on the display panel 2 then changes back from the operatorcontrol state to the display state. When the user wishes to restartreproduction of the music file, or to cancel muting of the loudspeaker15, he can move his hand 13 back into the detection space 8. The displayon the display panel 2 then changes back from the display state to theoperator control state. The user can then operate the touch-sensitivesurface 4, for example, at a position at which the display panel 2displays an appropriate button that is associated with a control commandfor beginning reproduction of the piece of music or for canceling themuting of the loudspeaker 15.

With the increase in electronic devices in the vehicle, it has becomenecessary to present a relatively large volume of information in thevehicle. By way of example, modern vehicles comprise not only amultifunction display but also a multiplicity of driver assistancesystems, the information from which needs to be displayed in thevehicle. Furthermore, vehicles frequently comprise a navigation system.Such a navigation system can be used to display digital geographicalroad maps with a route and, if need be, a wide variety of supplementaryinformation. Finally, modern vehicles frequently comprise communicationand multimedia applications, including a mobile telephone interface anddevices for reproducing music and voice. For these applications too, thevehicle needs to have the option of displaying information.

The display of information in a vehicle gives rise to very specificrequirements. The information is taken up in the vehicle by the driver,inter alia. Therefore, the information should be presented in thevehicle such that the uptake of information by the driver does notresult in a distraction during the journey. The presented informationshould therefore be able to be grasped by the driver intuitively andquickly, so that he need turn his eyes away from the driving only verybriefly to take up the information. If operator control of the vehicledevices is supported or conducted by a display, the display should beprovided such that the driver need look at the display only very brieflyor not at all for operator control to perform operator control.

WO 2011/003947 A1 discloses a method and an apparatus for providing auser interface in a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a gesture sensingdevice for sensing gestures in a sensing space that is arranged in frontof a display panel. In addition, the apparatus comprises an analysisdevice that can be used to associate the sensed gestures with operatorcontrol objects or display objects and with a control command. A controlapparatus can then be used to execute the control command.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   1 Display apparatus-   2 Display panel-   3 Control apparatus-   4 Touch-sensitive surface-   5 Data bus-   6 Operator control apparatus-   7 Gesture sensing device-   8 Detection space-   9 Device in the vehicle-   10 Device in the vehicle-   11 Vehicle-   12 Graphical object-   13 Operating object, hand of a user-   14 Palm-   15 Loudspeaker

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for controlling an apparatus in a vehicle, the method comprising: producing, through a control apparatus, graphics data that actuate a display panel such that a graphical object associated with an executed application is displayed on the display panel; and sensing a geometric structure of an operating object positioned in a detection space located in front of the display panel, wherein sensing of the geometric structure is a basis for producing a control signal for controlling the executed application; wherein the control apparatus produces a control signal for stopping the executed application when sensed geometric structure includes a planar face of the operating object in the detection space located in front of the display panel, the planar face being oriented parallel to the display panel and arranged at a distance from the display panel; Wherein the application relates to the reproduction of voice and/or music files, which involves the production of an audible output via a loudspeaker and/or headphones, and a control signal is produced for (1) stopping the reproduction of the voice and/or music file, or (2) muting the audible output via the loudspeaker and/or the headphones when a geometric structure that has been sensed for the operating object in the detection space involves the planar face of the operating object, which face is oriented parallel to the display panel and is positioned at a distance from the display panel.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating object is the hand of a user, and the control apparatus stops the executed application in response to sensing that the palm of the hand is parallel to the display panel.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal for stopping the executed application is produced when the geometric structure that involves the planar face of the operating object, which face is oriented parallel to the display panel, and positioned at a distance from the display panel has been sensed for the operating object in the detection space for a previously defined interval of time.
 4. An operator control apparatus for a vehicle, the operator control apparatus comprising: a display apparatus having a display panel; a control apparatus that is coupled to the display apparatus and which produces graphics data for displaying a graphical object for an executed application on the display panel; and a gesture sensing device for sensing the geometric structure of an operating object in a detection space in front of the display panel, wherein the control apparatus produces a control signal for stopping the executed application when the geometric structure that the gesture sensing device has sensed a planar face of the operating object in the detection space located in front of the display panel, the face being oriented parallel to the display panel and being positioned at a distance from the display panel; Wherein the application relates to the reproduction of voice and/or music files, which involves the production of an audible output via a loudspeaker and/or headphones, and a control signal is produced for (1) stopping the reproduction of the voice and/or music file, or (2) muting the audible output via the loudspeaker and/or the headphones when a geometric structure that has been sensed for the operating object in the detection space involves the planar face of the operating object, which face is oriented parallel to the display panel and is positioned at a distance from the display panel.
 5. A vehicle having an operator control apparatus as claimed in claim
 4. 